A former area high school teacher has been arrested and charged with having a sexual relationship with a student, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran jointly announced on Thursday.

Julie Rizzitello, 36, of Brick Township, a teacher at Wall Township High School who submitted her resignation earlier this week, has been charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault, third-degree witness tampering, and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact in connection with her alleged sexual relationship with the student.

The case background …

An investigation involving members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Bureau and Wall Township Police Department, assisted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Brick Township Police Department, revealed that the alleged criminal conduct by Rizzitello began earlier this year. On multiple occasions and in at least three jurisdictions — Belmar, Brick, and Wall — Rizzitello allegedly engaged in various sexual acts with the victim.

The collaborative investigation resulted in charges being filed both in Monmouth (on the Belmar and Wall offenses) and Ocean (on the Brick offenses) counties. Rizzitello was arrested yesterday and transported to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution (MCCI), where she is being held pending a detention hearing to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court.

Anyone with information about Rizzitello’s activities is being urged to contact MCPO Detective Jose Rodriguez at 800-533-7443 or Wall Township Police Department Detective Devin Corso at 732-449-4500.

— Edited press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office

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